Businesses in retail, hospitality and leisure will receive new grants to help them keep afloat until spring, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said.

The grants will be worth up to £9,000 per property, the Treasury says.

Mr Sunak told the BBC he was “committed to protecting jobs and supporting businesses”.

Business groups welcomed the new help as a good start but warned the money still wouldn’t be enough to save many firms from collapse.

The help is in addition to business rates relief and the furlough scheme, which has been extended until the end of April.

Firms do not have to pay the grant money back.

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